I have been lucky to visit many places, some far better than others, and here are ten amazing places to visit in 2017. I divided them between five fun and easy ones for American travelers and five more difficult ones that are still well worth it!

The Easy Five Spots

Savannah, Georgia

Savannah is a quick and easy flight from any major destination on the east coast. It’s a beautiful, peaceful town with lovely walking, shopping, and food – perfect for a 48-hour weekend. It also has a very interesting reputation as the most haunted city in the US.

Portland, Maine

Like Savannah, Portland is a quick and easy east coast flight – in the opposite direction. Best explored in summer, Portland has a lively food culture, exciting museums, and a lot of outdoors to tackle. There are even beautiful summer beaches close by and biking in Peaks Island is a personal favorite.

Chicago, Illinois

My hometown is best explored in late spring or early fall. Chicago really doesn’t make enough tourist destination lists: it has the best architecture and food culture in America. It also has a hopping bar scene and tons of little neighborhoods to explore off the beaten path. If you go in summer, Oak Street Beach is also something to see – where else do you have a real beach less than a block from all the skyscrapers?

Downtown Los Angeles, California

If you watched 80s and 90s movies, you probably think downtown LA is a warzone. But now, downtown is the most happening and exciting part of the city of angels. One thing I particularly enjoy is the emerging chef food scene and, even having gone three times in the past six months, I’m only halfway through my “taco spots to try” notes list on my iphone.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

A personal favorite, I have gone to Puerto Rico at least once every winter for the last three or four years and I still love it. Some swear by Vieques, which has amazing beaches and is worth a visit, but I prefer San Juan because it has got everything: there are wonderful beaches nearby but you also have the old historic district in San Juan, and the very happening nightlife around Condado.

Five Harder but Well Worth It Spots

Cuba

Cuba is not quite like any other place on earth. There is a stunning beauty to much of the island, and the people are far more caring and welcoming then many Americans have been led to expect. Not to mention enterprising – those envisioning a drab Soviet-style wasteland will be very mistaken But watch for new executive branch US policies and – 100%! – hire a tour guide or operator to pave your way. Cuba isn’t one of those places to “drop in and figure it out.”

Thailand

I spent a summer in Thailand back in 2005, when I was 15, and have been enchanted by the country ever since, though I’ve only gotten back in a few short visits while I was in Asia for other business reasons. The people are some of the nicest you will ever meet and its worth at least two trips: one to explore the north, especially Chiang Mai and its beautiful hills, and the south, with its unrivalled beaches.

Iceland

Iceland has a very interesting policy of providing really cheap airfare if you do a 2-3 day layover in the country. It’s absolutely worth it and you can go all year – though I would avoid it in winter unless you are a definite cold weather enthusiast. I would particularly recommend going to one of the famous spas and then taking nature tours – there is natural world beauty in Iceland you will see nowhere else.

Spain

Spain has so many different amazing spots to visit, you can’t hit them all in one trip. Of it all, Barcelona has always been my favorite city, with its amazing food and coffee culture, history, architecture, and beaches. However, Madrid is also a wonderful world class city and a tour of old southern Spain, especially Seville, is a trip of itself.

Israel

Israel is a longtime personal favorite. It’s a country of opposites: most folks generally either love the coastal region (Tel Aviv, Haifa) like me and go only to Jerusalem as a day tourist, or they love the interior. Israelis can be passionate, brusque, and stubborn, but they are also extremely welcoming and fun.